E, C and B's plane crashed; D&E are stranded on an island; E escapes to get to J, meets A&G. D&E reunite, bond, meet K. They confess feelings and share backstories. K kidnaps E and reveals her motive.

Chapter 30: When You Cross An Original

'Okay now move quietly and stay on my lead.'

Elena and Katherine tread stealthily between trees and over branches, keeping one eye on the empty shoreline. There was no boat in sight but a bunch of witches were heading purposefully to the ocean.

'Any minute now,' Katherine whispered.

Sure enough, a huge ship was visible in the vast blue ocean with its white mast was cruising through the breeze. The ship halted and soon, an anchor flung out and dug into the sand. The golden sun was just descending below the horizon.

The Originals were here.

Katherine inched closer to get a better look. Her eyes flitted from person to person and Elena curiously enjoyed her panic. They watched the ship hit the shore. The water lapped at the sand like it was making a carpet for the king.

Elena didn't dare blink. Three men emerged from the ship. One was dressed in a simple shirt and pants, the second looked impeccable in a suit and the last wore a leather jacket but looked nothing like the bad boy heartbreaker of Damon. He looked like a cold killer. Katherine's eyes were fixed on the first one and Elena knew it was Klaus.

'Hello witches of Whitmore! How lovely to see you all gathered here today!'

Elena noticed that he spoke in a British accent. She liked British accents but the irony of an accent so beautiful being used as a threat, scared her to no end. Why is it that the most attractive people end up as the saddest creatures?

'We are sorry, Klaus,' Gloria said, in a small voice. Elena was not used to seeing her cower in fear. She was the queen.

'She escaped.'

Elena's heart skipped a few beats when Gloria - out of nowhere - turned a little in her direction. Elena didn't think Gloria noticed her but her mind started spinning. What was she going to think when she sees me with Katerina Petrova, of all people?

Klaus' face turned expressionless. He looked normal to any stranger but Elena was terrified of this man. The fact that the witches, Damon and Katherine freaking Pierce feared him, made her anxious and conscious to not disappoint or anger him in any way.

'Well surely, you'll find her again, isn't that right beautiful Gloria?'

She bowed, tersely. 'Yes, Klaus.'

'I would be very angry with you but I do love you very much, Gloria. There is everything you need on the ship. Only the best fruits, vegetables for our favorite witches.'

Gloria smiled gratefully and walked forwards to the ship.

Just before she climbed aboard, Klaus lunged forward and bit into her neck. She screamed in pain, thrashing to get Klaus off of her. The witches raised their hands and began chanting. Kol shrieked in pain. And Elena had seen enough to know that was to end badly.

'No, stop!'

Klaus stopped and turned around. The other witches turned gratefully to thank their saviour but looked confused when they recognized who it was. Gloria's face silently screamed what-the-hell-are-you-doing but it was too late then.

'Katerina?' called the man in the suit.

'That's not your Katerina, Elijah. That's Elena Gilbert, isn't that right? You're quite the topic of discussion between me and my brothers. My spies have been keeping me informed. However, you have nothing to fear, sweetheart. I have no intention to kill you.'

Elena raised her eyebrows.

What?

'Yes, I do need the doppelgänger blood. But mark my words: you need not come to any harm,' he materialized a few inches from her. 'If you come with me. My sweet Elena.'

Elena's heart stopped. So that was the big deal. She wouldn't be harmed but she'd be a slave forever. And she could hardly escape then. It was just too late.

'So that's it? If I come with you, you let all these people live?' She clarified, infusing strength into her voice.

'Yes.'

Elena heard the bushes moving.

'Oh, well what do we have here?' Klaus forgot all about her that instant.

He and the leather-jacket-wearing Original blurred over to the bushes. Less than a second later, they emerged with a struggling-

'Put me down!'

Elena could hear the fear in her voice. It pleasantly surprised her. It also surprised Klaus.

'Katerina,' he whispered almost lovingly, before grabbing her neck and lifting her a good ten inches in the air.

'I know you need doppelganger blood but you have Elena's, and mine might not work, you can't- AH!' she yelled when Klaus tightened his grip on her neck angrily. 'Klaus, you can't use me. I am never going to hand the chalice over. You can't compel me because I found a witch who cast a spell protecting me from you.'

Klaus replied, 'You've always manipulated people, Katherine. You tried to cause a fight in my family and succeeded. It has taken us a long while to forgive each other and get back to where we are now and quite honestly, I see no reason to keep you alive any longer.'

Katherine's eyes widened in fear. She wasn't getting out of this alive either.

'I possess the cure or the anti-spell, if you may, that can break the witch spell,' he said, circling Katherine, 'You know, I prefer 'cure' actually. Because that's exactly what it is. It's a cure to make a vampire, human. You already know all about that, don't you Katerina?' he whispered her name on the back of her neck, making her flinch, 'it was your betrayal to my family that resulted in you losing the cure and me getting it.'

Katherine shook her head frantically, trying to speak but being unable to.

'Thank you for having the good courtesy to be frightened,' Elijah spoke. He spoke in the poshest accent in the most elegant way Elena could fathom. She was taken aback. He was the only one who looked like he'd been around for a thousand years. 'After the cure, I can compel the location of the chalice out of you, kill everyone who aided you and dispose of you however I please.'

Elena noticed Katherine's jaw set in determination - a sign of strength. It was obvious that she and Elijah had a history. Katherine wasn't used to losing. Elena gathered she probably never lost after whatever made her the cruel, cold and sad woman that she was.

'Plus none of my brothers have any interest in taking or saving the cure for the future. We don't want it. Immortality is a gift, Katerina. And yours expired. Game over.'

Katherine's eyes widened. She looked like she was falling apart.

'Wait!' she shrieked. Klaus paid no attention and dragged her over to the witches. Elena watched with mixed feelings as her doppelgänger was dragged over to a large grey rock which looked like a pyre. Elena realized she was feeling sorry for her.

'Bring the cure Kol,' commanded Klaus. The man in the leather jacket, disappeared into the ship and rematerialized next to Katherine.

'Oh I've wanted to do this for a long time,' he sneered. Slowly, he shoved the cure in Katherine's mouth. She struggled and moaned and screamed but there was nothing she could do. The Originals watched Katherine Pierce go down. Kol, savouring every millisecond of her struggle. Elijah, looking at her in nonchalant pity. Klaus, gleeful, a victorious smirk etched onto his face. They held her steady as she choked on the cure, and swallowed it in defeat. Her eyes rolled inside and as Elena watched in pity and horror, she dropped. Unconscious.

'How long before she turns human?' asked Klaus.

'About an hour,' said a witch.

'Well we can wait. Until then-'

'Katherine?' a male voice called from a distance. 'You asked me to come. Where are you?'

Elena's heart dropped. She knew who he was from voice alone.

Then, she was truly scared.

Trying to silently communicate, Elena begged him to run and not get involved. To never look back. Protect his life before it was too late.

But Aaron never gave up on the people he loved.

'Aaron, RUN!'

'Now, now, who is this?' said Kol, vamp-speeding over to Aaron. He grabbed him by the hair, dragging him over to Katherine's body. 'There is Katherine Pierce. I'd ask you to say hello but... she's not in any position to speak.'

Aaron stared at the Katherine's still form. His face switched from relief to hurt to anger in two seconds.

'What did you do?!' he yelled, his hands locked around Kol's neck, trying with his feeble human strength to choke him. Elena held her breath. Oh Aaron, no, stop. Kol merely smiled at him.

'She's human now. And before long, she'll be dead,' Kol said, enjoying the look on Aaron's face. He looked distraught as he dropped to his knees beside her again. His face looked broken, hopeless. She knew then that he was never over Katherine. Right from the start.

'Aaron?' Elena called out softly. When his eyes met hers, his entire face lit up.

'Elena! You're alive!'

He ran to hug Elena. No, Aaron stay back!

Elena's line of vision was blocked by Kol.

'Now, now Kol. Let's give the man his moment of happiness before he dies.'

'You're not killing Aaron,' Gloria spoke. Her wounds were completely healed. Elena suspected her witchy fast-healing powers.

'Oh yes, we are. He can't know about us. What is a human doing here anyways? I thought Whitmore was a witch-only place. With the exception of her, of course,' he added, smirking at Katherine.

'He knows about the town secrets. And he's kept them. Last time I heard, Klaus, you rewarded loyalty and trust. He's not a liability, Kol. He could be an asset, in fact he has. He's the reason Katherine's back.'

Kol stared at Aaron for a long time. Then, changing his mind, he stepped away from Elena. He watched as Elena pulled Aaron in for a massive hug.

'Oh my god, Aaron,' she said, 'What are you doing here?'

'Yes, Aaron, do entertain us,' Kol added.

Aaron's facial muscles didn't change but Elena read his eyes. It was something he didn't want the Originals or the witches to know. He simply stared at her. Elena didn't know what it could possibly be.

'Katherine was expecting you,' said Elijah. 'We want to know why.'

Aaron turned around slowly. He met Elijah's eyes bravely. 'If I tell you, do you promise to kill her,' he pointed to Katherine, 'before she can hurt me?'

What? That was an act?!

'She dies tonight,' said Klaus. 'So tell us what you know before I puncture your lungs.'

Elena glared at Klaus. She could feel the hate she had for him, pouring out of her like a broken dam. Aaron gulped.

'I know where the chalice is.'

WHAT?!

Klaus smiled at him, his eyebrows raised. If Elena knew better, she'd say he found his revelation amusing.

'You are telling me you know where the chalice is? You are asking me to believe that Katerina Petrova of all people informed you of its location? Sorry brother, but I think you're lying to me. And I don't', he turned pointedly to Gloria, 'reward deceit and manipulation.'

'Her name is Katherine,' Aaron continued, solemnly. 'And I'm not lying to you!', he reached into his back pocket.

Elena feared what was coming.

'I can prove it. I have it with me.'

Elijah's eyebrows shot up, almost disappearing into his brown hair. Klaus and Kol looked at each other. They smiled devilishly.

How the hell could Aaron get away with this now?

'Now I know you are definitely lying. You can't fool us with your childish pestilence, your blue puppy eyes and your hand in your back pocket because we know what the bloody chalice does. And it protects the owner, concealing them from other life forms,' Elijah spoke, his voice emotionless. Aaron's silence was confirmation that Elijah was right. He then blurred over to Elena, gripping her tightly by the neck. Raising her slightly into the air.

'Now, poor Elena here will suffer for your lies,' he commanded. 'Come here Kol. Show Aaron what happens when you cross an Original.' Kol needed no further invitation. He gave Elena one hungry look as she prayed to survive this. Kol blurred over to her side. He sunk his teeth into her neck.

Next, Kol was on the ground a good ten feet away from Elena as she screamed in pain, clutching her neck to stop the bleeding. There was no one close to her except maybe Klaus or Elijah. And they didn't look too pleased about what happened to their brother. The witches looked as confused and angry as the Originals.

Aaron, however, was smiling brightly.

'You are right,' he admitted casually. His nonchalance confused Elena. 'I lied. I told you I had the chalice,' he validated, proudly. 'I didn't say anything about who was wearing it.'

SORRY FOR THE ONE DAY LATE.

This was one of the clearest chapters in my head. I really love clan vs clan fighting.

CONGRATULATIONS DELENA FOR WINNING THE SECOND PCA IN A ROW. BEST TV DUO. I'm kinda pissed about Beauty and the Beast beating TVD and SPN. Wth is that show anyway

Remember, you can still leave your emails in my PM to get the first draft of Flightmate.

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